Tuesday, April 29, 2014

It all began Sunday with one of the lesser known hymns of our church Come, Ye Disconsolate
I am singing this hymn and realize that I am not sure what this hymn is saying. I can hardly pronounce disconsolate let alone know what it means.

Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying, Hope of the penitent fadeless and pure! Here speaks the comforter, tenderly saying, Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot cure.

Here see the Bread of life; see waters flowing forth from the throne of God, pure from above. Come to the feast of love; come ever knowing Earth has no sorrow but heav'n can remove.

Text by Thomas Moore 1779-1852
Verse three, Thomas Hastings 1784-1872

I began a study of the meaning of disconsolate and of this hymn. It was a beautiful hymn with a message that God wanted me to understand and live, I could feel it. I wanted to know what the message was and what I was to do with it. I began with a definition of disconsolate. Disconsolate is defined as being beyond consolation. A synonym of the word is discontent which is to long for better things, or a restless desire for something better. Now I was beginning to get somewhere. God was telling me that; When thing get rough and I feel the need for something more, He has the answer I can come to him and he will heal me.

"Come to the mercy seat and fervently kneel". During the month of march I had the opportunity to research the mercy seat while teaching the children of our church the hymn I Stand All Amazed. The mercy seat is the gold covering for the Ark and the covenant. It holds the tablets containing the Law of God, the ten commandments that Moses brought off the mountain. I was beginning to see what God was saying through this beautiful hymn. He is saying, come, learn of me, live by my word and let me heal you, In other words; let the Atonement be felt in your life.

He has been teaching me to rely on him as the Bread of life. Rely on him for everything, and quit trying to do it all myself. He is teaching me of his ways and teaching me to work along with him. I am truly learning that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. (see Matthew 11:28-30). He is teaching me to be a committed, covenant member of his church.

Over the last few weeks a change has taken place. I have truly become hungry with a desire for his word. A desire to be on his side. A desire to know him, A desire that only he can fill. I am truly feasting upon the words of Christ. He is filling my soul in ways I never even imagined. He is opening my eyes to the changes that are to come as the world prepares for his second coming. It is truly a joy to be a part of the work of God. The time is short, there is much to do to prepare the world and the churches for his coming, I am glad to stand as one who loves the Lord and share my witness of his love, grace and truth and be a part of this great work.

Blessing to you all as you find your place with God.

P.S. Since I began this post I have been singing the chorus of a little song by the group Pocket full of rocks; it is a song that I find myself often singing. It had often brought hope when it seemed hopeless.

You can come as you are with all your broken pieces
And all your shameful scars
The pain you hold in your heart, you bring it all to Jesus
You can Come As You Are

I have included some Amazon links below so you can download some of these wonderful songs and hymns and bring the wonderful message of Christ into your life.

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Note the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means that when you click on them you are allowing me to refer you to Amazon. I get a small proceed from Amazon by referring you to them. This helps keep the work going here at disciple walk. You can read the full disclosure by clicking on the privacy policy tab at the top of the page.

Monday, April 21, 2014

This is an excerpt from my new book which will be out later this summer/fall.

Comparison is the thief
of JOY. Theodore Roosevelt

If you judge a fish by its ability to
climb a tree; it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. Albert
Einstein.

Oh how I know too well that comparison robs us of joy. It is said that we should avoid comparing our beginning to somebody
else's middle, or comparing our weaknesses to others strengths, which is all
too often what we do. We compare ourselves and then let ourselves becaught up into thinking that we are failures
because we can't do what everyone else does. This is especially true in church
settings and on the internet. Pinterest is especially known for its ability to
make people feel inadequate and for fueling the comparisons that cause us
grief, pain, and stress.

I remember an experience from when I first started blogging.
I was about a month into blogging and was starting to sprout wings. I had
written a post about our garden. The children and I had made some garden boxes
out of scrap wood. I was so excited to try this method for growing my
plants.In the past my garden was a
disaster. I did not always mark the rows
well enough to tell where things were supposed to be growing. I often found
myself digging up the growing plants thinking they were weeds until I noticed
they were growing in somewhat of a straight line, or stepping on a row of tiny
plants, I had such troubles with it all. With garden boxes I would be able to
see where the plants were supposed to be
growing along with having a pathway for my large clumsy feet. I was hopeful that
it would eliminate many of my biggest garden pains.

I began linking up
and sharing this post about my garden boxes.I came to one of the homesteading blogs where I was going to link-up with other homesteaders, and then I saw
it......someone else had already linked up a post about how to make a garden
box. I looked at their picture and it was beautiful. They had made their boxes
out of redwood with beautiful brick pathway surrounding it. They had lovely
green plants growing in them. It looked just like the cover of a magazine. I
couldn't believe it.

I turned my head in
shame, how could I compete with this. I looked at my picture of my garden box,
all grey and worn out looking. It looked like the work of a child. I was so
frustrated. I had worked so hard. I sat
for a few moments with tears in my eyes contemplating what to do. I even
thought about quitting blogging all together. I can't keep up with these types
of people, maybe blogging was not for me. All of a sudden I found courage, I
stood and held my shoulders high, and said to myself, "This is stupid, why
am I comparing myself to these people that I do not even know, To let them ruin
something good like this blog, I won't let it. This is who I am, So what if my
garden box is not as beautiful as theirs, it is mine and I made it by myself!"
This was my blog, my experience, my
things. My blog, the one about being
resourceful and making it with what you have. I linked my blog post, proudly
placing my picture next to that beautiful garden box.If people wanted a comparison of garden
boxes, here it was. You can make them beautiful or simple and plain, either way
they get the job done.

I have since found
out a simple truth about some of the internet bloggers and Pintrest junkies
There was a blogger who posted in this way;She began to wonder how peoples "internet likeness" matched up
with their true likeness. (I wish I could find her blog again to give her
credit, but this is what she said.)

"I call them
“virtual wives”. They may be a model wife online… but what if you came to
their house? Would they meet you on the door step outside? Do they keep
their blinds closed at all times so you can’t see the mess inside? Does their
husband feel as loved, respected and appreciated in real life as she seems to
portray on the web? Do all those crafts and projects make her
extra-industrious, or is she neglecting everything else that should have come
first?

Too often we compare ourselves to those "virtual
wives"It is an easy trap to fall
into. It seems to be too easy at times to join in and wallow in it. It is not
healthy, it truly can rob us of the Joy that can be found in being true to our
own self. Go and find your own joy, do not get caught up in the things that really do not matter in life, this is my prayer for each of you today.

You can check out some of my homesteading, cooking, and other great posts at my other blog life less hurried.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

In Kings we read two different stories where widows were blessed by the prophets to "have enough and to spare." In 1 Kings chapter 17 we learn of the first widow. There was a great drought in the land and the widow was feeling the effects of it. She was out gathering a few sticks to build a small fire to prepare the last meal for herself and her son. She only had a handful of meal and a little oil. With this little bit of what she had left she was going to make a little cake for herself and her son, then they would wait to die. While on her journey she met up with the Prophet Elijah and told him of her plight. In 1 Kings 17 verse 13-14 we readThen Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.14 "For thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth." And so it was, the Prophet Elijah, the widow, and her son, all had enough to eat until the crops would grow again.

The second story comes from 2 Kings chapter 4. Another widow was in need of help. She was about to lose her home. The debtors were knocking at her door wanting to be paid. She had nothing to give to them. The prophet Elisha came to her rescue. He asked what do you have? She replied that she only had a bit of oil. It says in 2 Kings chapter 4 verse 3 "Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few." He told her to gather up as many vessels as she could find. He then told her to pour out that oil amongst the empty vessels that she had gathered. To her surprise the oil was multiplied until it filled the empty vessels. He then told her to go and sell the oil to pay her debt. She was also blessed with a supply of oil when she needed it.

In both of these cases the Lord knew of the trials of these widows. He knew of their needs. He was watching over them and provided for them. The same goes for us today. The Lord knows each of us. He knows our trials. He knows what we are in need of. Often he sends us blessings in ways we cannot comprehend. He will fill our souls and bless us in our times of trial. He is very aware and will send help.

It is truly amazing how the Lord blesses us. Often I pray with a special blessing or favor in mind, yet what he gives me is a thousand times better than what I ever thought possible. He is always watching and will help us, but often he asks us to do things in the process. In the first story the widow was asked to take care of the temporal needs of the prophet. She was given the means to be able to care for herself, her son, and the prophet. I wonder what her morning prayer might have been like that day as she contemplated the ending of her life and that of her son. She was hopeless, and I am sure that she asked that the Lord would understand her decision. I would suppose that she prayed the that Lord would receive her soul and that of her son to heaven. She was praying for peace of mind and soul, and yet what she got was so much more. I wonder what her prayers would have been like that evening and the days following as she had to opportunity to serve and to sit and learn at the feet of the prophet who had saved her life.

The second widow story has much to learn from it. Like the second widow woman when we come to the Lord or his servants asking for help, often we are asked "what do you have/what can you give? "And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil." She was then commanded to use what she had and it was multiplied. She was asked to give all she had. Which she did, and she was blessed for it. How often are we asked to come before the Lord and give him all and trust in his goodness? And again, how often are we blessed that our small offering is made larger in Christ? Think in your own life about how the Lord has blessed you.

When we give to the Lord first and trust in him somehow it all works out and we are truly blessed in our time of need. There are countless stories of those who give of themselves and are blessed. There are so many stories of people struggling and yet they paid their tithes and offerings and the Lord blessed them to have the things they needed. Somehow the money goes further and seems to be multiplied once the tithing is paid in faith.

In Luke chapter 6, verse 38 Jesus Christ himself taught us "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Give to the Lord and his work and you will be blessed more abundantly than you could ever imagine possible. I know of this for a fact. He blesses me so much and often he asks me to give back and yet what I have to give seems so small. Somehow he takes what I give and makes it larger.The Lord Jesus Christ needs people to assist in his work. From the strong to the weakest, he needs all of us and we need him. He will multiply your efforts more than a hundred-fold, and the joy that comes from serving; (if only you could feel what is in my heart) it is more than you ever dreamed of. I invite you to come and let the Lord heal you and bless you. If you are discouraged to the point of despair, come and let the Lords power be felt in your life. Ask, and you shall receive more then enough. I testify that it is true, I do not know how or why, but I know that it is. May the Lord ever bless us always.

Monday, April 7, 2014

I had a friend who grew up in a community and a home where religion was a mainstay. In her home there were many rules and everyone was expected to adhere to those rules. This is how it was. As she grew older she became aware that there were others who did not share in her beliefs nor live by those same rules. She began to question her faith, and to her parents dismay, she has strayed far away from those rules and traditions that she was taught, even to the point of publicly mocking her family, close friends, and others who follow any religion.

It is a pattern that we see so often in life. There are many who follow the rules, regulations, and religion taught to them, and then.... when exposed to something different, get swayed by popular opinions and begin to believe something different than what they have been traditionally taught. I have heard it said that any belief is nothing more than a thought or opinion that you have come to treat as automatically correct. Once we label it as a "belief" we convince ourselves that it is different and must not be questioned. I would ask, is this true?

I grew up in that very same religion this friend mentioned above but, I was taught in a different manner. We were given many of those same rules to live by, but we were not forced and coerced into living them. We were taught that these rules were there to guide, protect and help us. We were given the opportunity to live by the rules. We were given the opportunity to choose to live in righteousness, for righteousness is chosen and cannot be forced. We were taught to govern ourselves within the boundaries that God has set for they will never change. We were taught in the same manner as the Savior taught when he invited the those who would be his apostles to "come follow me" He did not force them to come and be a disciple but called out to them who would hear and follow.

Jesus Christ himself challenged the popular beliefs of those in Jerusalem and surrounding areas. He challenged those who "professed to believe." He set the pattern for us to follow. We cannot fall prey to the idea that something must be true because that’s what lots of people believe. The number of believers has no bearing on how correct it is. There was a time when just about everyone believed, in fact they knew for an obvious fact that the world was flat. That didn’t make them right. How can we tell if our beliefs and actions are correct? How do we know we are on the correct path? I would suggest asking questions? If we do not question, if we do not challenge our beliefs we are easily swayed by popular opinion.

From my friend Caleb Warnock's blog

Two years ago, I was at a local university to hear a speech by New York Times editor and writer Tom Zeller Jr. While taking questions from the audience, he was asked about how the media is doing when it comes to helping the people understand complex issues. His answer jolted me. Media has changed, he said -- and so have we, the consumers of media."It is easier than ever now for individuals seeking information to find only information that affirms their preconceived notions of an idea," Zeller said. "It is very difficult to be exposed to information that challenges your point of view."

This answer was interesting to me. We live in a world of information that is mind boggling. It is easy to find people that believe the same way you do. It is also very easy to let that be a way to excuse ourselves into thinking that what we are doing is right. It makes it easier to let sin creep into our lives. It is easy to find someone who will stand with you in the wrong. I would suggest that the time is now to question some of your beliefs and habits to examine where you stand with God and Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if in man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. Have you become changed through your belief in Christ? Are you following Christ, or the things of the world? Are you becoming a new creature in Christ, or are you an old creature of habit?

In the United states it used to be that the Christian ideals were upheld in society itself. It was easier to live a Christian life because it was popular to believe and uphold those values. It was a part of everyday life and society. Things have changed. We have come to a point that upholding Christian faith takes much more strength. It is not popular to be a Christian anymore, but as a Christian I still stand. Who is standing with me? If you have not decided for sure, I would suggest that now is the time to decide and show whether you are on the Lord's side. You cannot stand with the world and Christ too. They are not compatible, society does not uphold the things of Christ anymore. The time has come to choose sides. "Choose ye this day, whom you will serve....... but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord"

May the Lord bless each of you as you examine your own lives and strive to come closer to him.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

I am excited for this weekend! I am looking forward to a spiritual feast at our General Conference.

Everyone is invited to come and join in the worldwide conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. Yes, I belong to the LDS church or the Mormon Church as it is sometimes called. Twice a year, in April and October we have a General conference where many of the 10 million members of my church gather together from around the world. It is a wonderful experience. It is a time of renewal and hope. It is not only for those of our own religion; we invite everyone, everywhere, to come and learn of Jesus Christ. There are four general sessions available on the Television, radio, and the internet.
For more information and to view online check out the
the Latter day saints main web page

Sessions begin Saturday, April 5 2014 Two different sessions are available they are shown live at 10am Mountain standard time (12 noon Eastern) and at 2 pm (4 pm Eastern) with an additional session just for the men at 6 pm (8 pm Eastern)

Sunday sessions are available live, at 10 am Mountain (12 noon Eastern), and again at 2 pm (4 pm Eastern)

There is also the traditional Sunday morning broadcast of Music and the spoken word with the Mormon tabernacle choir. It is the longest continual running radio program in the world. It has been broadcasting since 1929.

This program is at 9:30 Mountain time (11:30 Eastern) every Sunday morning.

I look forward to this great gathering of people all over the world hearing, and learning the words of the Lord. I will have lots to write about in the weeks following conference.